Drug Information Q&A Q6. What are some of the oldest drugs developed by the Japanese?
Answer
There are anesthetics developed by Hanaoka Seishu in the Edo period, serum therapy invented by Kitasato Shibasaburo in the Meiji period, the digestive enzyme "Takadiastase" invented by Takamine Jyokichi, and vitamin B1 discovered by Suzuki Umetaro. The "Takadiastase" is a digestive enzyme invented by Takamine Jyokichi.
Explanation
Hanaoka Seishu: Anesthetic drug "Tousensan
Hanaoka Seishu collected various plants for research and developed the anesthetic "Tongsensan.
In the final stage of development, he asked his mother and wife, who had taken on the role of anesthetist, to test the drug to see if it would work on humans and if it was harmful. However, his wife lost her sight after trying the anesthetic several times.
In 1804, Seishu successfully operated on a 60-year-old woman with breast cancer using Tongsensan. This is considered the world's first surgery using general anesthesia.
Shibasaburo Kitasato's serum therapy
Shibasaburo Kitasato was the first in the world to successfully cultivate a pure culture of the tetanus bacillus. He discovered that when the toxin produced by the tetanus bacillus is diluted and injected into animals, a component that eliminates the toxin is produced in the serum (the supernatant fluid when blood clots), and invented a new method of preventing and treating tetanus called "serotherapy.
Today, serotherapy is used for a wide variety of diseases.
Takamine Jokichi's digestive enzyme "Takadia starase
When we eat, digestive enzymes are responsible for breaking down nutrients and making it easier for the body to absorb them. If digestive enzymes do not work properly, indigestion occurs and nutrients are not properly absorbed. Jokichi Takamine invented the digestive enzyme takadiazase, which breaks down starch (the main component of carbohydrates).
When you overeat or have a weak stomach, take takadiazetase to stimulate digestion and relieve indigestion. Because of its powerful effects, Takadia Starze became an explosive hit around the world. In Japan, Takadiazet became so common that it is known as "household medicine" and can be found in every home.
Umetaro Suzuki: Vitamin B1
In 1910, Umetaro Suzuki discovered vitamin B1 in rice bran. This was the world's first vitamin discovery.
He also discovered that the cause of a disease called "beriberi," which was feared in Japan at the time, was a lack of vitamin B1. At the time, no one in the world knew that there was a nutrient called "vitamin," and Umetaro Suzuki named it "oryzanin.
The following year, however, a Polish chemist discovered the exact same nutrient, named it "vitamin" and announced it, and this name quickly became famous around the world.
- *In Q36, we introduce drugs that have been developed by Japanese pharmaceutical companies in recent years and are attracting worldwide attention.
Chart/Column
6｜Major achievements by Japanese researchers in the early modern era (excerpts)
| Nagayoshi Nagai (pharmacologist) | 1887 Successfully extracted ephedrine from hemp yolk. |
|---|---|
| Shibasaburo Kitasato (Medical scientist and bacteriologist) | 1889: Established a pure culture method for tetanus bacillus. |
| Jyokichi Takamine (Doctor of Engineering, Doctor of Pharmacy) | 1894 Invention of digestive enzyme "Takadiastase". |
| Kiyoshi Shiga, Medical scientist and bacteriologist | 1897 Discovery of dysentery bacillus. |
| Umetaro Suzuki, agricultural chemist | 1910 Discovery of the first vitamin (B1). |
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